Junkin’ Journey: Fort Myers, Florida

So, you may remember that I hail from Chicagoland…and I currently live in South Carolina. But in between the two, I spent a good number of years in South Florida- hopping from one coast to the other, chasing schools and jobs. Anyway, my parents retired there, and I was long overdue for a visit.

Thankfully, they are understanding and supportive of my blogging obsession and carved out plenty of time to hit some shops in search of vintage treasures. And let me tell you, Fort Myers did NOT disappoint.

I hit a couple of old favorites, but discovered some new ones that I simply had to share. If you have never vacationed to Southwest Florida, you are missing out- of all the well-known destinations in the Sunshine State, Southwest Florida often gets overlooked.

Located at 12710 McGregor Blvd., Judy’s is a long-time favorite that I always have to hit when I’m in town. Mom and her friends are frequent flyers here, weaving in and around Judy’s endless cases and displays holding the sparkliest of the sparklies- vintage costume and fine jewelry as far as the eye can see! The walls are lined with other antiques- china, dresser sets, silver settings, etc. But the floor…oh the showroom floor…is my version of heaven. I’m a screw back earring junkie and fanatical about rhinestones- so if that’s your vice, then Judy’s is a must, must-see.

You know what I consider awesome? Parking in between antique shops- both within spitting distance- and not having to move the car! Since I can do that for Judy’s and McGregor Antique Mall, then the latter is obviously on my go-to list, as well. I love this place because it has impressive collections of some of my favorite things: vintage dollhouse miniatures; vintage Halloween and Christmas décor; a TON of antique postcards; and a CLEARANCE ROOM. There are plenty of other things- china, glassware, toys, kitchen gadgets, books…but it’s those little touches of Sadie-favorites that send me over the top.

Ivy Cottage is one of those shops that is much larger than it first appears…and when you first step in, you think you’ve hit Shabby Shangri-La! Beautifully reloved furniture…a ceiling covered in sparkly chandeliers…chippy bits here and there. It is chock full of fun finds…perfect for an upcycler like me!

As if hitting Judy’s for jewels wasn’t enough, Mom took me to Linen Cottage…which is ALL VINTAGE LINENS. Why is it that I never feel as if I have enough? Tablecloths and table runners… aprons and handkerchiefs… bed linens and doilies…fabric and sewing notions… have I whetted your appetite yet? And they are in BRILLIANT condition, carefully curated and cleaned by Patty, the sweet shop owner. The Linen Cottage is a treasure trove of heirlooms ready to be adopted into your traditions…I’m already yearning to return.

Vintage Market is MY kind of vintage…it’s a perfectly balanced blend of shabby, industrial, and farmhouse rustic. In fact, our home is outfitted in a jumbled mix of all three styles. So I definitely stepped in and immediately wanted to rent a truck and haul it all home. Another bonus? For folks that live in the Fort Myers area, there are all kinds of painting workshops you can take! This shop will definitely become part of my regular rotation whenever I visit.

Be jealous, be verrrry jealous…

Yup, I’m a happy camper.

And so concludes my tour of some old (and new!) favorite vintage spots around Fort Myers…which then begs the question, where shall I explore next?

Junk on!

S

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Comments

Great resource list for this sw FL fan. I’m a bit further north in Osprey and have countless places to go in Venice and Sarasota. But that Linen Cottage is definitely calling to me but my dh will turn off my hearing aid. lol